Camillus, NY -- An $800,000 improvement project on a portion of West Genesee Street in the town of Camillus is finally completed after nearly four years of construction, town officials said.

Federal and state funds paid for all but $40,000, or 5 percent of the improvements on West Genesee Street, from Shrineview Drive to Beverly Drive, said Town Engineer Paul Czerwinski, of Barton & Loguidice.

The town of Camillus also received a Community Development block grant previously to make improvements on West Genesee Street, from Onondaga Road (Route 173) to Shrineview Drive, Czerwinski said.

The improvements were greatly needed, town officials said.

"Before on West Genesee Street, there were no sidewalks and no real boundaries between the driveways and businesses and heavily traveled entrances and exits," Camillus Town 3rd Ward Councilor Bill Davern said.

"Now there are definite boundaries," he said. "It's reducing the traffic congestion and potential for accidents. We also don't have people walking on the edge of the road. It was very dangerous."

About 21,800 vehicles per day travel along West Genesee Street, from Onondaga Road to Beverly Drive, said Brian Donnelly, commissioner of Onondaga County Department of Transportation.

The town's engineering firm, Barton & Loguidice, worked with town and county officials to design and oversee the project. Construction was completed in four phases.

The town of Camillus highway crews completed the first three phases: Curbing, concrete sidewalks, new light poles, and a brick buffer between the street and sidewalk on West Genesee Street, from Onondaga Road to Shrineview Drive.

Town highway workers also extended Gillespie Avenue, from West Genesee Street south to Chapel Drive, this summer. That allowed a three-way intersection to become a four-way intersection, Czerwinski said.

Rizzo Construction, of Auburn, started the final phase in the spring and completed work this week.

Here is what the final project entailed:

Remove the island at Beverly Drive, and reconfigure the traffic lanes at that location.

Add new curbing, concrete sidewalks, light poles, and a brick buffer between the street and sidewalk from Shrineview Drive to Beverly Drive.

Close Shrineview Drive, between West Genesee Street and Chapel Drive. The road was closed because it did not line up with nearby streets, making it difficult and potentially unsafe for drivers to enter or cross West Genesee Street from Shrineview Drive, Czerwinski said. Traffic is now directed onto Gillespie Avenue, he said.

Restripe the road, and add pedestrian crosswalks at Gillespie Avenue and Beverly Drive.

The reconstruction work at Beverly Drive was held up in August when Verizon workers went on strike, Davern said. The town's contractor was unable to do any work for several weeks until the strike was over. After the strike, Verizon added extra crews to complete its work by relocating fiber optic cables, he said.

Large, two-foot wide orange barrels were expected to be removed from the Beverly Drive construction area this week as construction wrapped up.

"It's all finished and it looks quite good," Davern said.

Czerwinski said he also is pleased with the improvements.

"It is better than before," Czerwinski said. "It's safer and has a better traffic flow now."